#Exhibit of the Month

Christmas bells entered the Romanian cultural space through a long process in which archaic traditions blended with Christian belief and European influences. Long before the holiday of Christmas developed as we know it, metallic sounds played an important ritual role in old communities: they were used to drive away evil spirits, to purify spaces, and to protect people during transitional moments at the turn of the year. These beliefs have been preserved in winter customs such as caroling, the Plugușor, and masked dances, where bells and jingles were indispensable.
With the spread of Christianity, the sound of the bell also acquired a profound religious meaning, becoming an announcer of major feasts and a symbol of the Nativity. Small bells, however, were not originally used as decorations but primarily as functional or ritual objects.
The first decorated Christmas tree in the Romanian lands was the one at the palace of Prince Carol I of Hohenzollern, following his arrival in the Romanian Principalities in 1866. From that moment the tradition took root, and on Christmas Eve princes and princesses invited to the palace would take part in decorating the tree. Among the ornaments used were small metal bells, symbolizing joy, the good news, and divine protection for the home.
In the twentieth century, Christmas bells spread across all Romanian provinces and became a visual emblem of the holiday, appearing in both decorations and carols. Even during periods when religious expression was curtailed, bells remained in people's homes as signs of joy and the continuity of tradition. Today they retain this dual meaning: the echo of ancient beliefs and, at the same time, the announcement of the Birth of Christ - a symbol of hope, light, and the link between past and present.
These tinkling pieces are part of a generous heritage collection at the National Museum of History of Moldova (NMHM), which includes more than 200 cultural items. A substantial contribution to the museum's collection of decorative bells was made by Dorina Raischi, a teacher at School No. 94 in Chișinău, who donated 174 bells, of which around 30 are winter-themed. Made of ceramic, porcelain, glass, and metal, they were brought from different parts of the world and together offer a succinct picture of the global culture of bells. They add a festive note to the home and even to a gift, and it is hard to imagine Christmas without their cheerful tinkling.

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

"A history of the oldest inhabited city in Romania - Constanța"

May 18 – June 30, 2024

The Constanța National History and Archeology Museum, in partnership with the National History Museum of Moldova in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, organizes on Saturday, May 18, 2024, 1:00 p.m., at the headquarters of the National History Museum of Moldova, the opening of the temporary exhibition: A history of the oldest inhabited city in Romania - Constanța.

The cultural event was prepared by the specialists of the Constanța National History and Archeology Museum: Dr. Sorin Marcel Colesniuc, Dr. Aurel Mototolea, Dr. Tiberiu Potârniche, Dr. Delia Cornea, Dr. Cristian Cealera, Dr. Lavinia Dumitrașcu and Eng. Ada Marcu, in collaboration with the specialists of the National History Museum of Moldova: dr.hab. Eugen Sava and Dr. Livia Ermurachi.

As the title suggests, the temporary exhibition A history of the oldest inhabited city in Romania - Constanta presents, on 30 panels, the history of the city of Constanta, from its foundation to the present day. The panels were organized as follows: In the beginning was the legend; Greek colonization and the Tomis war; The beginnings of Roman rule; The exile of the poet Publius Ovidius Naso to Tomis; Amphitheater, wrestling and gladiators at Tomis; Tomis - the capital of the province of Scythia Minor; The emergence and development of Christianity in the light of archaeological evidence; From Tomi to Constantiana; Küstenge - Constanta. 1800 - 1870; Ottoman Constanta. Religious architecture - mosques and windows; Ottoman Constanta. Secular architecture - Casa Beiului; Constance English; The port in the life of the city - Antiquity; The port in the life of the city - the Ottoman period; The port in the life of the city - innovation and modernity; Royal Constance (2 panels); The city of Constanța and the people of Constanta in the First World War; The general plan of the city of Constanța in the interwar period; Walking through interwar Constanța (3 panels); Constanța - city beaches; Personalities of Constanta; Constanța under the bombings of the Second World War; Constanța - aspects of the urban development in the period 1948 - 1989; The Constanta Museum - emblematic institution of our city; The treasury of sculptures from Tomis; From the collections of the Constanta museum (2 panels).

On behalf of the Museum of National History and Archeology Constanta, scientific researcher Dr. Sorin Marcel Colesniuc will be present at the opening of the temporary exhibition in Chisinau, who will present the work of the team of specialists of the Constanta museum, as well as the history of the city of Constanta from Antiquity to Contemporary .

#Exhibit of the Month

Decorative Bells

"A history of the oldest inhabited city in Romania - Constanța"

May 18 – June 30, 2024

#Exhibit of the Month